After a long cold winter, small ornamental flowering trees are a very welcome sight as they are among the first garden plants to brighten up the landscape and announce the arrival of spring. The following are a few classic spring flowering trees for the garden.
Eastern Redbuds (Cercis canadensis) are prized for their vibrant pink and lavender flowers which bloom on bare stems in spring before its foliage develops. Eastern redbuds develops ornamental fruit later in the season. Eastern redbud trees are tolerant shady conditions thus ideal for woodland settings. Eastern redbud trees grow to be 20′-30′ high and spread 20′-30′
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) is a classic spring flowering tree. It has rounded bracts in tones of red, pink or white while the actual flowers in the center of the colorful bracts are greenish-yellow. They grow to a height of 15 to 30 feet with an equal or greater spread. Dogwood are also a great year-round tree as its fall foliage is bronze-colored and its red fruit lasts into winter. The variety ‘Cherokee Chief’ is a red blooming variety with a horizontal branching structure and is one of the best flowering trees available. In recent years, however, flowering dogwoods have been subject to dogwood blight, a fungus disease. Plenty of air circulation and sunlight help prevent this disease.
Washington Hawthornes (Crataegus phaenopyrum) bloom in early spring with a abundance of small white flowers. It is a broadly oval to rounded, dense, thorny tree. The foliage is a reddish purple as is develops and gradually changes to lustrous dark green as it matures. The Washington Hawthorne’s fruit is a bright which attracts birds and other wildlife. It’s great tree for the garden as a specimen, hedge or screen. The leaves turn beautiful scarlet and purple colors in fall.
Kwanzan Flowering Cherry (Prunus serrulata “Kwanzan”), also know as the Japanese Flowering Cherry, is one of the most popular cultivars of all the cherry trees. Its blooms, which last about 3 weeks, are clear pink and double flowering. Its foliage is light green foliage with a red tinge. The leaves turn to a reddish-copper fall color. A beautiful ornamental flowering tree.
Bradford Pear (Pyrus calleryana) is a wonderful spring blooming tree as it develops an abundance of white flowers in spring. Its glossy green summer foliage turns yellow to maroon in autumn. It is an extremely popular, vigorous growing, medium size, shade tree. The Bradford pear is an easy to grow, disease resistant beautiful addition to the garden. This flowering tree grows best in full sun.
Star Magnolia (Magnolia stellata) blooms on bare stems with flowers which are rose to purple outside, with a soft, white interior. This slow growing tree reaches 20′-30′ in both height and width and is ideal for the small garden. In autumn the leaves turn yellow to bronze before. Also makes an excellent addition to woodland gardens and to other shady areas.
Soon after the star magnolia blooms, the Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia x soulangiana) begins to flower on bare stems. Depending upon the variety, the saucer magnolia will have large saucer-shaped, pink, white or purple flower. Some, however, have pure white interiors with exteriors of purple to pink. Mildly fragrant, the flowers typically have nine petals. The 1 inch long flower buds are fuzzy in late winter. It is often grown as a multi-trunk small tree ranging from 20 to 25 feet in height with a similar spread. The saucer magnolia is ideal as both a specimen and as part of a mixed shrub border.
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